Sports apparatus



April 2, 1963- H. J. STEEL SPORTS APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1962 s S I villfrllll INVENTOR.

United States Patent SPORTS 'APPARATUS Harold J. Steel, Toronto, OntarioQCanada (96"Ranclifie Road, Oakville-Trzifalgar, Ontario, Canada FiledMar. 15,-'1962,-Ser. N0."179,355 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-'--54) This invention relates to apparatus as used in sports and has particular reference-to the sport-of bowling.

The sport of bowling has .become increasingly popular with many people in recent-times. Since the sport is an active one it is normally only engaged in by'people having full use of their limbs. Thus, in many cases,

per-sons who are confined to Wheel-chairs are unable -to participate in the sport and this is particularly true of such people as have limited use of their arms as well as being unable to walk.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sports apparatus adapted-to the sport'of bowl ing which will enable crippled persons to enjoy active participation in such sport.

It is a further object of this invention toprovide apparatus as described which may be mounted upon a conventional wheel-chair.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide sports apparatus for use in bowling which-is adjustable for bowling balls of difierent sizes.

It is another object of this invention to provide sports apparatus having means incorporated therein which will enable a person to exercise some skill in the use of such equipment.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide sports apparatus which is self supporting in a balanced position thus enabling persons having limited use of their arms to manipulate the device.

These and other objects and features will become ap parent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment according to the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section along the line 33 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a section along the line 44 in FIG. .1.

With reference to FIG. 1 a sports apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated and indicated generally as 11. As will be seen apparatus 11 is mounted upon a conventional Wheel-chair indicated as 12.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 apparatus 11 is seen to comprise guide rails 13 and 14 preferably made from tubular material for lightness and strength. An adjustable spacer assembly indicated as 15 comprises inner tube element 16 slidably located within outer tube element 17. Element 15 is rigidly secured to rail 13- and element 17 is rigidly secured to rail 14.

A retaining pin 18 is removably inserted within corresponding holes 19 in elements 16 and 17 whereby difierent positions of holes 19 allow means of adjusting the spacing between rails 13 and 14. Thus the spacing between the rails may :be set for various diameters of bowling ball-s.

FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 1 illustrates the method of supporting rails 13 and 14 substantially at a midpoint thereof. The support indicated as 20 comprises a spacer assembly 15 to which is secured a universal joint such as ball and socket 21. A rod 22 is rigidly secured to the ball portion of joint 21 and has the other end thereof slidably inserted within a tube 23.

A clamp 24 rigidly secured to the lower end of tube 23, re-movably secure suport 20, by means of adjust- 2 men-t screw 25, to the footrest 26 ofchair 12. Aspin 27 is removably secured within holes 28in rod '22 and tube 23 and thus limits the position of rod-22 relative to tube 23.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4the horizontal adjustment means is shown and indicated generally as 2-9. Adjustment means 29 comprises spacer assembly 15 to which is pivotally secured tube 30 'by means of pivot joint31. Tube 30 is slidably mounted on horizontal bar 32, having clips 33 and 34 secured to the .ends thereof. Clips 33 and 34 being made from a spring material are adapted to pressurably hold onto armrests 3'5 and 36 of chair 12. f

With reference to FIG. 1 the configuration of'rails 13 "and 14 is shown and as will be seen the upper'end'is provided with a'hollow or dipped portion at 37. The centre portion of the rails dips downwardly in "a smooth curve and ends at 38 in a'tapered or a flattened end.

'In order to utilize the present invention clamp 24 is secured to footrest 26 by means of screw '25. Clips 33 and 34 are positioned on armrests 35 and '36, whereafter rod 22 is adjusted within tube 23 to bring en'd 38 close to floor level.

A bowling ball 39 may be placed in the rest position -at-37 and rails 13 and 14 may besW'ung about joint 21 by moving tube'30 along :bar 32. Inthis way 'the;direction of the ball may be controlled by the bowler. Upon the desired direction being obtained ball 39 may be rolled "forward onrails 13 and 14 the speed with whichzit is-propelled afiectin-g the .manner in which the ball will collide with the pins.

In the case where a ball of a different size is to be used pins 18 in spacer assemblies 15 are removed and the spacing between the rails is altered to accommodate the new ball size, whereafter pins 18 may be reinserted.

As a specific example of spacing a conventional fivepin ball has a diameter of five inches and the rail spacing for this ball should be approximately three and onehalf inches on centres. On the other hand the spacing for a ten-pin ball should be approximately seven inches, the diameter of this ball being about nine inches.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention comprises supported and movable rail means which are adapted to be secured to a conventional wheelchair. A bowling ball placed upon said rails will by the action of gravity or with the assistance of the operator roll down said rails and thus be guided to the bowling pins.

It will be understood that although one preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed that various alterations in design may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and while still falling within the scope of the appended claims.

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as fol lows:

1. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and comprising: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; and horizontal adjustment means secured to the upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the ar-mr-ests of a conventional wheelchair.

2. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and comprising: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; at least two adjustable spacing means separating said rails at any one of at least two predetermined distances; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; and horizontal adjustment means secured to the 3 upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the armrests of a conventional wheelchair.

3. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and comprising: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; at least two adjustable spacing means separating said rails at any one of at least two predetermined distances; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; length adjusting means on said support; and horizontal adjustment means secured to the upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the armrests of a conventional wheelchair.

4. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and comprising: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; at least two adjustable spacing means separating said rails at any one of at least two predetermined distances; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; length adjusting means on said support; clamp means secured to a free end of said support and adapted to removably secure said support to the footrest of a conventional wheelchair; and horizontal adjustment means secured to the upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the armrests of a conventional wheelchair.

5. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and comprising: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; clamp means secured to a free end of said support and adapted to removably secure said support to the footrest of a conventional wheelchair; and horizontal adjustment means secured to the upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the armrests of a conventional wheelchair.

6. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and comprising: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; clamp means secured to a free end of said support and adapted to removably secure said support to the footrest of a conventional wheelchair; the upper ends of said rails defining concave ball retention means; and horizontal adjustment means secured to the upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the armrests of a conventional wheelchair.

7. Sports apparatus for use in bowling and compris ing: a pair of rails being parallel and having a downwardly sloping configuration; at least two adjustable spacing means separating said rails at any one of at least two predetermined distances; a support for said rails pivotally secured thereto substantially at a midpoint thereof; length adjusting means on said support; clamp means secured to a free end of said support and adapted to removably secure said support to the footrest of a conventional wheelchair; horizontal adjustment means secured to the upper end of said rails and including clips adapted to fasten to the armrests of a conventional wheelchair; the upper ends of said rails defining concave ball retention means; and the lower ends of said rails having a tapered configuration.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. SPORTS APPARATUS FOR USE IN BOWLING AND COMPRISING: A PAIR OF RAILS BEING PARALLEL AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY SLOPING CONFIGURATION; A SUPPORT FOR SAID RAILS PIVOTALLY SECURED THERETO SUBSTANTIALLY AT A MIDPOINT THEREOF; AND HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT MEANS SECURED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID RAILS AND INCLUDING CLIPS ADAPTED TO FASTEN TO THE ARMRESTS OF A CONVENTIONAL WHEELCHAIR. 